The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Obudu, Bekwarra & Obanliku Federal constituency, Mr Peter Akpanke, says Gov. Ben Ayade has perfected plans to pin murder case on him by using the instrumentality of the government, especially the Judiciary.
He said that the plan was to use the state justice system which the governor has compromised to pin a murder case committed on May 25, 2022 and which investigation had been concluded following a confessional statement made by the alleged fellow responsible for the act.
Akpanke said the first of the plan was the court order which was hurriedly issued and obtained by the Police in connivance with the Cross River State Government that declared him wanted.
He alleged that the judge that issued the order and whose court have been mandated to handle the case was an interested party.
The House of Representatives candidate said that the judge, Justice Blessing Egwu’s husband is the Chief Protocol officer to the State’s Deputy Governor.
He said that prior to the order, at no point was he invited by the police that he failed to honour.
“So, why the rush for an order declaring me wanted. In any case, the governor who is from the same senatorial district with me though from different political party is behind all this.
“He is simply afraid of my rising political profile and popularity and he sense defeat come February 25, where he (Ayade) is standing for Senate seat.
“If this is not political persecution I wonder what else it can be called , because the person with whom I contested the primaries with has no case to answer , neither was he invited by police , why is my own case different.
“Is it because he moved to the ruling APC , because the alleged suspect in his confessional video that went viral, never said I sent him, I have no connection whatsoever with him. Why are they trying to use the court and the police to intimidate me? But I want to let them know that it won’t work.
“We are serious minded, we mean well for our people, hence our resolve to give our best to our constituents in terms of quality service delivery, so no form of intimidation will ever shake or change our resolve. We are determined to see the exercise to a logical conclusion and we shall come out victorious by God’s grace.
“So , the plan to distract me and put me out of circulation in order not to be able to deliver myself and my party in the polls will fail ,” he stated.
Recall that the Police Command in Cross River had on Monday issued a statement signed by the spokesperson, SP Irene Ugbo, declaring Akpanke wanted in connection with the suspected murder of one Emmanuel Martin, a police Inspector.
Martin was shot and killed on May 25, 2022, in Obudu, Cross River North, during the House of Representatives primaries of the PDP.
